The Cost of Discipleship

by Bill and Linda Campbell

November 12, 2006

Is there a cost to discipleship? What did Jesus teach on the subject? In Luke 14 Jesus says,“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me cannot be My disciple.” And “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

Bill preached a message on discipleship. At the end of the message, I was literally stunned and unable to speak. Once again, I was deeply stirred and challenged by the message of Jesus. Jesus said, “Sell it all and give it to the poor.” John 6: 53-58 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.” The teachings of Jesus were hard, and after hearing His words many of the disciples (the ones in the crowd) went back and walked with Him no more. Jesus turned to the twelve and asked the question, “Do you want to go away?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life.” The true disciples of Jesus don’t quit even when things get hard. Bill challenged the pastors and leaders with, “My wife and I have chosen to lay our lives down. We have chosen to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. We told Him we would go where no one else wanted to go. We are willing to live or to die for Him in this land. We are looking for those who will join us. We are not looking for crowds. We are looking for the remnant that will love not their lives unto death.”

Jesus redefined discipleship. Jesus insisted that to follow him your will had to be laid down. When Jesus prayed “Not my will…” he took following God to a new level, beyond just being willing. We now choose to obey someone’s will other than our own. As long as our will is present we can not carry the power and presence of God. The Bible says no one can see God and live. So we must die in order to have God dwell in us. This is why Jesus said in Mark 8: 35-36 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” He ended his message with, “Jesus taught us to take up our cross. He said that he would show us how to die.” Jesus had to counter the words Peter spoke in verse 31 and 32, and He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Jesus now started to sift his followers. Jesus had to divide the crowds from the disciples. To “take up your cross” was not a symbolic act to Jesus or the twelve. Jesus the teacher was about to teach his disciples how to die, how to lay down their lives.

As the pastors began to examine their lives under the spot light of the Word and the Holy Spirit, we did not pray for people. Instead each person was challenged to get alone with God and let Him teach them how to die. In His presence, Jesus Himself would show them how to lay down their lives no matter what the cost. People were lying in the dirt all over the grounds, crying out to God to kill anything in them that got in the way of true discipleship. We saw pastors lying on their faces in the sweet potatoes, under chair, and on their faces in the dirt. The sweet presence of God was heavy in the atmosphere. Hearts were dismantled by the Holy Spirit and then being restored to life. Commonplace men were becoming empowered to live or die with boldness. They were not taking this lightly. They were doing business with the King of the universe.

When ordinary men full of the Holy Spirit speak, heaven can and does invade earth. There are so many similarities in the African culture to the day in which Jesus walked. Hearing these piercing words, we were getting a deeper understanding of what it must have been like to walk with Jesus. Many forsook Him because His teachings were too hard. Those that remained changed the earth. There is a rare quality about this remnant of godly African pastors and leaders. Have they found something more wonderful than life? Many of these ordinary men became disciples and lost their lives to Jesus this week. For most of them to physically die can only bring Jesus closer. Our prayer is to join with them as together we spend our lives serving the King.

Bill and Linda Campbell




The Cost of Discipleship by Bill and Linda Campbell November 12, 2006 Is there a cost to discipleship? What did Jesus teach on the subject? In Luke 14 Jesus says,“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me cannot be My disciple.” And “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Bill preached a message on discipleship. At the end of the message, I was literally stunned and unable to speak. Once again, I was deeply stirred and challenged by the message of Jesus. Jesus said, “Sell it all and give it to the poor.” John 6: 53-58 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.” The teachings of Jesus were hard, and after hearing His words many of the disciples (the ones in the crowd) went back and walked with Him no more. Jesus turned to the twelve and asked the question, “Do you want to go away?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life.” The true disciples of Jesus don’t quit even when things get hard. Bill challenged the pastors and leaders with, “My wife and I have chosen to lay our lives down. We have chosen to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. We told Him we would go where no one else wanted to go. We are willing to live or to die for Him in this land. We are looking for those who will join us. We are not looking for crowds. We are looking for the remnant that will love not their lives unto death.” Jesus redefined discipleship. Jesus insisted that to follow him your will had to be laid down. When Jesus prayed “Not my will…” he took following God to a new level, beyond just being willing. We now choose to obey someone’s will other than our own. As long as our will is present we can not carry the power and presence of God. The Bible says no one can see God and live. So we must die in order to have God dwell in us. This is why Jesus said in Mark 8: 35-36 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” He ended his message with, “Jesus taught us to take up our cross. He said that he would show us how to die.” Jesus had to counter the words Peter spoke in verse 31 and 32, and He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Jesus now started to sift his followers. Jesus had to divide the crowds from the disciples. To “take up your cross” was not a symbolic act to Jesus or the twelve. Jesus the teacher was about to teach his disciples how to die, how to lay down their lives. As the pastors began to examine their lives under the spot light of the Word and the Holy Spirit, we did not pray for people. Instead each person was challenged to get alone with God and let Him teach them how to die. In His presence, Jesus Himself would show them how to lay down their lives no matter what the cost. People were lying in the dirt all over the grounds, crying out to God to kill anything in them that got in the way of true discipleship. We saw pastors lying on their faces in the sweet potatoes, under chair, and on their faces in the dirt. The sweet presence of God was heavy in the atmosphere. Hearts were dismantled by the Holy Spirit and then being restored to life. Commonplace men were becoming empowered to live or die with boldness. They were not taking this lightly. They were doing business with the King of the universe. When ordinary men full of the Holy Spirit speak, heaven can and does invade earth. There are so many similarities in the African culture to the day in which Jesus walked. Hearing these piercing words, we were getting a deeper understanding of what it must have been like to walk with Jesus. Many forsook Him because His teachings were too hard. Those that remained changed the earth. There is a rare quality about this remnant of godly African pastors and leaders. Have they found something more wonderful than life? Many of these ordinary men became disciples and lost their lives to Jesus this week. For most of them to physically die can only bring Jesus closer. Our prayer is to join with them as together we spend our lives serving the King. Bill and Linda Campbell
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